Ex-Battery Hens
After about 70 weeks battery hens are deemed past their egg laying peak and are no longer wanted at the battery farms. Most will be made into pet food or chicken pies. A few lucky hens are rescued by Hen Welfare Charities. There’s a list at the bottom of this page.
Why Choose a Battery Hen?
Battery hens make great pets and will still have plenty of life left in them. They will most likely lay but not as frequent as they once did (hence the farmer sending them for the chop). If you are looking to make money off eggs then maybe battery hens are not for you. I think one of the main reasons for rescuing battery hens is moral. The conditions these birds live in is pretty awful. For an in-depth article on battery hen farms please read this.
How much do ex-Battery Hens cost?
This will vary. If you buy direct from the farmer you can expect to pay between 50p to £3. The Charities often ask for a small donation anything from £1.50- £4.
Do they need special treatment?
When you get your Battery Hens chances are you’ll be getting some of the better ones. Still their condition may be a little shocking. They will often be missing anything up to two thirds of their feathers. Beaks are often cut down (burnt with a hot iron) to reduce the damage done when squabbling in the cages. Feet can be damaged from standing on the wire cages. Legs can often be lumpy and bumpy too. Blood blisters are also common.
As your Hens recover their feathers remember you may need to clip one of their wings.
There will be some squabbles to begin with. This is perfectly normal and needs to happen. Hens are flock animals who have a distinct pecking order. Only intervene if you feel one of them is being denied food.
Eggs
You may find you get a couple of eggs as soon as you get them. They will most likely stop for a while whilst they get used to their new home.
Your new hens may start laying in totally random places rather than a nesting box. Remember they never really had a choice where they layed before. A good tip is to put an egg or golf ball in their nesting boxes. They will hopefully get the hint. They may also struggle to get into their nesting boxes due to their previous living conditions. Try adding a couple of ramps if they are having trouble.
A lot of people keep normal and ex-battery hens together so it’s hard to tell who laying and who isn’t.
Food
You may need to feed them Layers mash for the first while. Sometimes battery hens will not recognise corn as food. If this is the case gradually introduce corn of other feed into their mash.
Charities & Organisations
UK
Ireland
Australia
Ex-Battery Hen Forum
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